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Birth
♡ Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1, 1926 in California. -
Childhood
♡ When Marilyn was seven, her mother was institutionalized due to her paranoid schizophrenia. She was in an orphanage for two years, then moved from foster home to foster home until she was 16. This contributed to her problems with depression and self doubt.
♡ This photo was taken when Marilyn was five, before she was separated from her mother. Her simple clothes show that she didn't grow up wealthy, and the way she's sitting indicates a level of informality. -
Rise to Stardom
♡ In 1944, Marilyn began working in a factory to aid in the war efforts. One day a photographer came to the factory to shoot the females workers, the photographer took an interest in Marilyn and she began modeling for him. -
Publicity
♡ Throughout her career, Marilyn appeared on many magazine covers. One of the most notable is her ¨Pageant¨ cover from 1952. In her interview, Marilyn said ¨Now I have to worry about eating too much. I never used to bother with exercises. Now I spend at least 10 minutes each morning working out with small weights,¨ (Monroe).
♡ This quote shows how Marilyn's time in the spotlight made her more self conscious and she felt she needed to please society, which led to her eventual downfall. -
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
♡ One of Marilyn's breakthrough movies was "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", and in it Marilyn's showgirl character can easily fit into the "dumb blonde" stereotype. Many viewers and even directors had a hard time separating Marilyn's character from her true self.
♡ Marilyn performs an iconic number and sings "But I prefer a man who lives/And gives expensive jewels" (“Diamonds are a girl’s best friends - Marilyn Monroe). Because of this, many thought Marilyn herself was a shallow gold digger. -
Struggles
♡ In 2010 a book compiling many of Marilyn's private notes and letters surfaced, and many of the contents were unlike the Marilyn persona everyone knew.
♡ In the summer of 1961, Marilyn wrote "Help. I feel life coming closer when I all want is to die," (Monroe, Journal Entry). Although Marilyn was adored by many, she felt alone in life, which lead to her taking her own life. -
Happy Birthday, Mr. President
♡ For President Kennedy's 45th birthday, Marilyn performed a rendition of "Happy Birthday" in a sultry tone, which perpetuated the rumor that the two were having an affair ("Marilyn Monroe - Happy Birthday Mr. President").
♡ This is only one of the alleged affairs Marilyn was involved in, and added to her objectification and caused people to lose respect for her as a person. -
Death
♡ Only months after her performance in honor of President Kennedy, Marilyn was found dead at age 36 in her Los Angeles home due to an overdose. Many believe it was a suicide, but there are conspiracy theories that suggest otherwise.
